Márcia Bastos Rezende

Ludic content in multisensory stimulation environments: an exploratory study about practice in Portugal.

This article aims to document the use of multisensory stimulation environments and its related perceptions, concerning ludic content, play and the computer-mediated ludic activity, from the perspective of professionals organizing and delivering therapeutic activities in these spaces with children with developmental disabilities, in Portugal. Face-to-face open interviews with 12 professionals working in multisensory stimulation environments, selected by convenience criteria, were individually recorded, transcribed and submitted to content analysis. Three main themes emerged from the data: multisensory stimulation environments offer multiple possibilities for intervention, play is part of the intervention in multisensory environments and the computer-mediated ludic experience is perceived as useful for intervention. Data suggest that multisensory stimulation environments are used as versatile spaces, both considered and explored by the interviewed professionals in its ludic potential. This fact can renew the interest in multisensory environments, in particular for the area of play in Occupational Therapy, in which the use of the computer-mediated ludic experience is a recognized possibility. Limitations of this study are associated to the level of representativeness of the interviews in relation to the diverse universe of professionals using multisensory environments. The method for collecting data is also highly sensitive to the influence of the interviewer.

Motor Skills in Brazilian Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder versus Children with Motor Typical Development

The aims of the study were to compare the performance of children with probable developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and motor typically developing peers on items from the Assessment of Motor Coordination and Dexterity (AMCD), to determine whether age, gender and type of school had significant impact on the scores of the AMCD items, to estimate the frequency of DCD among Brazilian children ages 7 and 8 years and to investigate whether children with DCD exhibit more symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder than children with motor typical development. A total of 793 children were screened by the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire - Brazilian version (DCDQ-Brazil); 90 were identified as at risk for DCD; 91 matched controls were selected from the remaining participants. Children in both groups were evaluated with the AMCD, the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC-II) and Ravens coloured progressive matrices. Thirty-four children were classified as probable DCD, as defined by a combination of the DCDQ-Brazil and MABC-II scores (fifth percentile). The final frequency of DCD among children ages 7 and 8 years was 4.3%. There were significant differences between children with and without DCD on the majority of AMCD items, indicating its potential for identifying DCD in Brazilian children. The use of a motor test (MABC-II) that is not validated for the Brazilian children is a limitation of the present study. Further studies should investigate whether the AMCD is useful for identifying DCD in other age groups and in children from different regions of Brazil. The application of the AMCD may potentially contribute in improving occupational therapy practice in Brazil and in identifying children that could benefit from occupational therapy services.

Percepção materna do desempenho de crianças com transtorno do desenvolvimento da coordenação

Children who have difficulty doing daily tasks that require motor skills may have specific motor coordination problems, known nowadays as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). In Brazil, this diagnosis is used very seldom although it is much used in the international literature. The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of Brazilian mothers concerning the daily performance of children with motor coordination disorder. Five interviews were conducted and submitted to content analysis. The narratives showed that all informants perceive difficulties in the performance of daily activities in their children and in the relationship with peers, and these difficulties are more evident with the entrance in school. These findings highlight the unawareness about motor coordination problems and opportunities for getting help, as well as reinforce the need for more information and to value mother’s perceptions.Children who have difficulty doing daily tasks that require motor skills may have specific motor coordination problems, known nowadays as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). In Brazil, this diagnosis is used very seldom although it is much used in the international literature. The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of Brazilian mothers concerning the daily performance of children with motor coordination disorder. Five interviews were conducted and submitted to content analysis. The narratives showed that all informants perceive difficulties in the performance of daily activities in their children and in the relationship with peers, and these difficulties are more evident with the entrance in school. These findings highlight the unawareness about motor coordination problems and opportunities for getting help, as well as reinforce the need for more information and to value mothers perceptions.

Mother's perception of the performance of children with developmental coordination disorder

Children who have difficulty doing daily tasks that require motor skills may have specific motor coordination problems, known nowadays as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). In Brazil, this diagnosis is used very seldom although it is much used in the international literature. The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of Brazilian mothers concerning the daily performance of children with motor coordination disorder. Five interviews were conducted and submitted to content analysis. The narratives showed that all informants perceive difficulties in the performance of daily activities in their children and in the relationship with peers, and these difficulties are more evident with the entrance in school. These findings highlight the unawareness about motor coordination problems and opportunities for getting help, as well as reinforce the need for more information and to value mother’s perceptions.Children who have difficulty doing daily tasks that require motor skills may have specific motor coordination problems, known nowadays as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). In Brazil, this diagnosis is used very seldom although it is much used in the international literature. The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of Brazilian mothers concerning the daily performance of children with motor coordination disorder. Five interviews were conducted and submitted to content analysis. The narratives showed that all informants perceive difficulties in the performance of daily activities in their children and in the relationship with peers, and these difficulties are more evident with the entrance in school. These findings highlight the unawareness about motor coordination problems and opportunities for getting help, as well as reinforce the need for more information and to value mothers perceptions.

Percepción materna de rendimiento de niños con trastorno de desarrollo de la coordinación

Children who have difficulty doing daily tasks that require motor skills may have specific motor coordination problems, known nowadays as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). In Brazil, this diagnosis is used very seldom although it is much used in the international literature. The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of Brazilian mothers concerning the daily performance of children with motor coordination disorder. Five interviews were conducted and submitted to content analysis. The narratives showed that all informants perceive difficulties in the performance of daily activities in their children and in the relationship with peers, and these difficulties are more evident with the entrance in school. These findings highlight the unawareness about motor coordination problems and opportunities for getting help, as well as reinforce the need for more information and to value mother’s perceptions.Children who have difficulty doing daily tasks that require motor skills may have specific motor coordination problems, known nowadays as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). In Brazil, this diagnosis is used very seldom although it is much used in the international literature. The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of Brazilian mothers concerning the daily performance of children with motor coordination disorder. Five interviews were conducted and submitted to content analysis. The narratives showed that all informants perceive difficulties in the performance of daily activities in their children and in the relationship with peers, and these difficulties are more evident with the entrance in school. These findings highlight the unawareness about motor coordination problems and opportunities for getting help, as well as reinforce the need for more information and to value mothers perceptions.